August Wilson HS Monolgue Comeptition Finalists Announced

The August Wilson Monologue Competition, sponsored by The League of Chicago Theatres, Goodman Theatre, and the University of Illinois at Chicago, and organized in Chicago by Derrick Sanders, will hold the Chicago Finals on March 11, 2013 at 6:00 p.m. at the Goodman Theatre, 170 North Dearborn St.

The twenty-two students advancing to the Chicago Finals are: Taylir Brown-Williamson, Barton Fitzpatrick, Khamya Johnson, Antionette Lancaster, and Jessica Smith of Kenwood Academy; Monique Lewis of Hyde Park High School; Morgan Brown, Josha Silk, and Aronna Wynne of Southland College Prep; Branndin Laramore, Lia Miller, and Ernesto Moreta of Gallery 37; Danyelle Monson of King College Prep, Aniqua Chatman and Anthony McCoy of Wirt-Emerson Academy; Julio Munoz of Schurz High School; John Carter, Martin Downs and Monet Felton of Chicago High School for the Arts; Sophia Menendian of Lincoln Park High School; Chandler Browne of American Theater Company Youth Ensemble; and Jonathan Schaffer of Homewood-Flossmoor High School.

Esteemed judges for the Chicago Finals include celebrated actress and playwright ReGina Taylor; Eamonn Walker, currently starring as "Battalion Chief Wallace Boden" in NBC's hit drama "Chicago Fire"; Narda E. Alcorn, frequent stage manager for August Wilson productions on Broadway; and Christine Mary Dunford, Associate Chair of the Department of Theatre and Music at University of Illinois at Chicago and a Lookingglass Ensemble Member.

The August Wilson Monologue Competition is a national competition open to all high school students. The top three monologues from among the Chicago contestants will be awarded scholarships in the amount of $500 for first place, $250 for second place and $100 for third place. Each of the three winning students will also have expenses paid to travel to New York City for the national finals.

Students are asked to perform a 2-3 minute monologue of their choosing from one of the ten plays in August Wilson's Century Cycle. For more information on the Chicago competition, visit: http://chicagoplays.com/august-wilson-monologue-competition.html.

Participation in the national finals, May 5 and 6, 2013, includes a weekend of activities around the competition. National prizes include scholarships of $1000 for first place, $500 for second place and $250 for honorable mention. Last year, Christian Helem of the Chicago High School for the Arts who placed first in Chicago, took Second Place in the national finals. Janyce Caraballo also of Chicago High School for the Arts and Jonathan Nieves, of Schurz High School who placed second and third, respectively, in Chicago also competed in New York.

"Each year we are so proud to see the legacy of August Wilson grow in Chicago with young people being exposed to his plays and learning his monologues. And each year we are thrilled that students from Chicago place so highly in the National Competition," says Derrick Sanders.